Minister for Social Welfare subsequently promised to use every Day of the African Child to engage the public on specific themes of child rights and welfare. 197. Institutions such as the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and the National Commission for War Affected Children (NaCWAC) were established to further provide for war-affected children, hear their stories and help rehabilitate them and reintegrate them into their communities and families. The NaCWAC focused on advocacy, hearing the voices of children, policy development, and establishing institutional links and mechanisms for children’s empowerment. It initiated programmes for the promotion and protection of the rights of children affected by the war including the provision of skills training and education, the building of ”trauma healing centers” in different parts of the country as well as advocacy projects for street and amputee children (Sulimani, 2006). 198. Towards a similar end, the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL) was established to try those bearing the greatest responsibility for crimes committed in the civil war; many of whom were convicted for the international crime of recruiting children into the armed forces or groups. 199. By the end of 2005 the following progress had been made (Government of Sierra Leone, 2006):  5,651 children, which constitute 96 percent of all children registered for DDR, were successfully reintegrated with their families;  2,788 children benefited from the Community Education Investment Programme;  1,682 separated children were traced to their respective families;  719 street children were provided with shelter;  420 commercial sex workers were give skills training;  172 community based organizations were given certified to work to support children’s rights and welfare. 200. Despite efforts described thus far, the decade-long civil war, coupled with economic instability, high levels of corruption and already high levels of poverty created a post-war environment which exposed many children to high levels of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation. This was driven in part by the aggravating impact of the war on already high levels of social and economic deprivation, the continued separation of children from their families, the reduced availability and capacity of government, family and community protection resources, and the prevalence of harmful customary, religious and social norms and practices. 201. These factors contributed to the heightened vulnerability to and high levels of exploitation of and violence against children, notably child labour, child trafficking, sexual exploitation, female genital mutilation, child marriage, teenage pregnancy and discrimination. 202. Thus, the GoSL, under the leadership of the MSGCWA engaged in a more systemic process of reform of its child protection system. Reforms cut across all components of the system, including the legal framework, human resource capacity, delivery vehicles and arrangements, governance and institutional arrangements, and information collection and management. The objective was to strengthen the 6. Family Environment and Alternative Care  55